SAD is probably a myth, say psychologists

[Still Waters]

Seasonal Affective Disorder, the condition where people become depressed because of the lack of sunlight in the winter time, is probably myth, scientists have concluded.

A large scale study of adults in the US found that levels of depressive symptoms do not change from season to season or in different levels of light.

The researchers concluded that the findings are 'inconsistent with the notion of seasonal depression as a commonly occurring disorder.'

http://www.telegraph...chologists.html

[Dark_Grey]

Vitamin D is needed to produce melatonin and other important chemicals in our brains. Vitamin D comes from the sun. For people who aren't getting enough VD in their diets, seasonal depression can be a real thing. I've experienced it mysel. Not every "large scale" study will be be able to pin down something so subjective

[Redefining Success]

I've experienced it myself as well, worked nights for 7 years, all ways felt down, moody and really irritable in the winter.

It wasn't the cold. I prefer it cold as oppose to hot weather.

[spartan max2]

I've experienced it myself as well, worked nights for 7 years, all ways felt down, moody and really irritable in the winter.

It wasn't the cold. I prefer it cold as oppose to hot weather.

That could be from messing with your natural sleep cycle more so then from vitmen D. I worked third shift for a few months before too and stopped because it started screwing with me

[Lilly]

Maybe people feel bad in winter because winter basically just sucks? I mean, it's cold and dark and you have to shovel snow constantly...not exactly a recipe for happiness.

[CloudSix]

Hmm i think they're missing a hidden variable in their studies, something that intervened with the results. Kinda seems logical that there is a relation between depression and exposure to sunlight, since the basic premise of sunlight kinda brings these thoughts into my head: happiness, warmth, childhood, games and playing, friends and such.

My thoughts are they should have two countries to compare, Finland as the country with less sunlight and Australia with more. Should give off better results.